1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to trim saws, and more particularly relates to a high speed hopper fed trim saw that securely clamps boards to be cut against movement by urging the same into a corner area defined at the base of a step.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trim boards are often referred to as baseboard moldings, edge moldings, trimming, and the like. These long strips of wood are generally employed to finish buildings by framing or covering certain parts of the structure. They often meet in corners and as a result miter cuts must be made therein. Kerf cuts are needed as well so that the joint where the trimming meets may be reinforced.
A number of machines have been developed to make the needed miter and kerf cuts in trim boards at a high rate of speed. The machines have several shortcomings, however. A typical machine of the prior art, for example, will have an indexing means that moves the boards to be cut, one at a time, from a first miter cutting station to a second kerf cutting station in a manner that is undesireable. Specifically, a typical machine of the prior art will include an indexing means that imparts a forwardly directed force to a trim board to move it to the first cutting station and from there to the second cutting station. Since no two (2) pieces of trimming weigh exactly the same, and since no two (2) pieces of trimming are alike in the amount of warp present therein (it being understood that warp-free trimming is virtually non-existant, all trimming having at least some warp and the amount of warp or other structural imperfections varying between different pieces of trim), the forwardly directed force will cause the individual pieces of trim to travel differing amounts and to turn or twist in different manners in response to such forward motivation.
In other words, since the size, shape and weight of each piece of trim to be cut by a miter and kerf saw is different, the indexing means of the prior art are unacceptable because they do not adapt to the individual characteristics of the boards handled but instead displace all boards forwardly with equal force. This causes light in weight boards to travel less than heavier boards, and causes severly warped boards to arrive at the respective cutting stations in differing positions vis a vis less severely warped boards. Clearly, an indexing means that handles the advancement of all boards as if each board was identical in its features to all other boards is undesireable because the miter and kerf cuts formed therein will vary from board to board. Since it is of the utmost importance to produce interchangeable, standardized boards, the art requires the introduction of a machine that does not have the imprecise indexing means of the prior art. The desired machine would adapt itself to handle each board on an individual basis so that light boards would be advanced by the indexing means the same distance as heavier boards. Warped boards would be securely clamped in a position reproducible to the greatest extent possible so that differing boards would share a uniformity of cut to the highest degree attainable.
The prior art does not include a machine capable of making substantially reproducible miter cuts and kerf cuts in trimming, at high speeds.